The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories

What It Is

This newly released collection of seven Dr. Seuss stories were originally published in magazines in 1950-1951, but never in book form. As such, they were “lost” over the years as magazine copies were simply thrown away. (Remember, the Internet and PCs did not exist then!) Each of the seven stories is unmistakably Dr. Seuss, with his trademark rhyming tempo, unique vocabulary, wild beasts and animals, imaginative kids and outlandish events.

Why It’s Fun

As a child, the Dr. Seuss shelf was my first destination at our public library. As a parent, Seuss books are my favorite to read aloud, by far. Once you are a Seuss fan, you are one for life, as my 9-year-old has discovered. We liked some stories, such as “Gustav, the Goldfish” and “Tadd and Todd,” better than others, but my only true criticism of this collection is the format. The book size is larger than a typical Seuss book and, as such, appears to offer less illustration resulting in much more text per page and white space. Perhaps Random House will publish each story individually in the more traditional Seuss scale. Nonetheless, it has been more than 20 years since a new work of Dr. Seuss’ has been published, and while these are not technically “new,” they are the next best thing. Seuss scholar Dr. Charles Cohen assembled the collection and provides an informative introduction, geared towards adults, that should not be overlooked.

Who’s Going To Love It

Though publisher’s recommended age is 6-9, these stories are simply for the young and young-at-heart. However, most young children may have the patience to sit still through only one story at a time, especially since the illustrations are more sparse than a typical Dr. Seuss book. Whether Dr. Seuss is a favorite section at the library or you are building a home collection, this is a must-read!